R.Evolucion Latina Announces The Formation of Nueva Escena And Its Inaugural Production SALSA GORDA

R.Evolución Latina, New York City's non-for-profit collective of artists and activists committed to inspiring growth within the Latino Community, is pleased to announce the formation of Nueva Escena (New Scene), a new theater company created by young Puerto Rican artists living and working in New York City. Nueva Escena's premiere production is SALSA GORDA, a play with music written by José Luis Ramos Escobar.

SALSA GORDA will play five performances only at Nueva Escena's new home, the Pregones Theatre, located in the Bronx at 571-575 Walton Avenue (between 149th and 150th Streets). Performance dates are Saturday, September 26 at 8 p.m.; Sunday, September 27 at 3 p.m.; Friday, October 2 at 8 p.m.; Saturday, October 3 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, October 4 at 3 p.m.

Directed by Mario Colón and choreographed by Luis Salgado (Assistant Choreographer for Broadway's In the Heights), SALSA GORDA is set in Puerto Rico in 1980s, and is the story of photographer Daniel Cuevas and the young aristocrat Marimé, as told by their journalist friend Luis, after Daniel's death from AIDS.

Marked by infidelity and class differences, Daniel and Marimé's love affair drives a plot line interlaced and permeated with the sounds and influence of Salsa. More than simply providing a soundtrack to the play, the music allows audiences to delve into the psychology of the characters.

SALSA GORDA stars Modesto Lacén, Laura Butler and Jorge Dieppa, and features Mariana Cardenas, Holly Clark, Cindya Davis, Michael Fielder, Joamer González, Tamara Van Leeuwen and José-Luis Lopez.

All performances of SALSA GORDA are presented in Spanish, with English supertitles.

The Nueva Escena theatre company was originally founded in Puerto Rico in 1998 by actor and producer Modesto Lacén, who, after relocating to New York, most recently earned high accolades for playing the lead role of Don Pedro Knight in the original Off-Broadway musical Celia: The Life and Music of Celia Cruz.

Born in Guayanilla, Puerto Rico, playwright José Luis Ramos Escobar's earned his Masters and Doctorate degrees from Brown University. Currently, he resides in Puerto Rico and serves as the Dean of the Humanities Faculty for the University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras Campus. Throughout his career, he has received multiple awards for his work as writer and director. Among his repertory of published and produced work are Mascarada, Mano dura, Gení y el Zepelín, El Salvador del Puerto, ¿Puertorriqueños? and Derecho a morir. El Olor del Popcorn, which made its debut in Puerto Rico in 1990, has been produced and presented in fourteen international theater festivals.

A University of Puerto Rico Alum, director Mario Colón has had the privilege of directing five of José Luis Ramos Escobar's most important plays: Mano Dura; El Salvador del Puerto; El Olor del Pop Corn; Bohemia 18, Altos; and Salsa Gorda. He currently serves as the Creative Director for the Hispanic Federation and is the founder of Spae Gnomo, Inc. - a Puerto Rican children's theater company focusing on the creation of new plays "for children and by children."

Choreographer Luis Salgado is the director and founder of R.Evolución Latina. He currently plays the role of Jose in the Tony Award-winning Broadway Musical In the Heights, where he also serves as Latin Assistant Choreographer. His other stage and film credits include The Mambo Kings, Fame on 42nd Street, Aida, Step Up 2 The Streets, Dirty Dancing 2, Enchanted, Across the Universe, American Gangster and The Great Observer. Luis also choreographed the musicals Serenade, Shafrika The White Girl and The Drop Outs.

Visit www.SalsaGordaThePlay.com or www.RevolucionLatina.com for more information.